Description

At a glance, one may confuse the 2011 Nissan Rogue for its bigger and fancier brother, the Nissan Murano. And with this year's mild refresh bringing a slightly more upscale look to the compact crossover SUV, we're sure the closer resemblance is intentional. Yet the Rogue is based on a more humble Nissan product, the plebeian Sentra sedan. But before you write off the Rogue as a sheep in wolf's clothing, take one for a test-drive and you'll likely be impressed with its sporty demeanor. This year's refresh brings updated styling thanks to a new grille, bumpers, standard front and rear spoilers and additional chrome trim (most notably along the lower body sides). The cabin gets updated instruments along with a new color display for the audio system (on upper trims). A number of high-end features debut this year as well, including 18-inch alloy wheels, a navigation system, iPod integration, automatic climate control and auto on-off headlights. Fuel mileage improves slightly thanks to lower-rolling-resistance tires and an underbody panel that improves aerodynamics. Lastly, trim levels and packages have been revised. Thanks to its stylish sheet metal and agile road manners, the Rogue isn't like most compact crossovers. The steering is light during low-speed maneuvers, yet weights up reassuringly at speed. And the suspension takes bumps in stride while also providing a reassuringly stable attitude through the corners. Unlike most rivals, the Rogue features high-quality, soft-touch dashboard materials that contribute to the relatively upscale feel of the cabin. The Rogue does have a few weak points, however. Though its performance is more than competitive among its four-cylinder peers, the mandatory continuously variable transmission (CVT) causes the engine to drone under hard acceleration. Unlike many of its chief competitors, the Rogue doesn't offer a V6 option, which may concern those who live in mountainous regions or who plan on towing with their small crossover. Within the cabin, the rear seat doesn't offer the slide and recline features that some rivals do. And you'll pay for the swoopy, Murano-inspired styling with compromised rearward visibility and a smallish maximum cargo capacity.